Moonlight
by WitandAmbition
Summary: The moon is always there to be a guiding friend. Harry begins to realize that after the war.


At Fred's funeral, Ginny accused Luna of trying to woo Harry. Luna brushed it off, so Harry didn't think anything of it, either. Grief could make anyone act outside their norm.

Several weeks later, Ginny crept into the room Harry shared with Ron. Her brother was in the shower so they were alone. Harry went to kiss her, but she shook her head and dropped to her knees in front of him.

"So you won't forget me," she said with a wink.

Harry grabbed her hands as she went to undo his belt. As much as he loved a thrill of danger, he wasn't about to risk Ron seeing them in such a position.

"Why not just a kiss?" he said as he pulled her to her feet. "That seemed to work last time."

Ginny pouted. "Don't you love me?"

"Of course I do." He kissed her to prove his point. "But there's a time and place for those sorts of things, and this isn't one of them."

She accepted the kiss and then sighed.

"I suppose you're right," she muttered. "But don't forget, Potter, you're _mine_. I'm not letting go of you so easily."

He grinned. "I wouldn't dream of it."

When she went back to school, he tried to see her at every Hogsmeade Weekend. Soon he noticed a pattern to their dates. If they weren't snogging in a corner, Ginny was dragging him around town. They had fun on those occasions, but every time, Ginny would laugh louder, toss her fiery red hair, and make a point of touching him. She would also glare away anyone who dared approach them, particularly if it was another girl.

Then Harry noticed the photographers following them. If anyone disturbed their private moments, Ginny hexed them, but out in public, she pressed herself against Harry and smiled for the cameras. All of it seemed so fake and finally, Harry had enough.

"I'm not a belonging," he snapped, shaking her off.

"Harry, don't," she hissed. "Here, smile, they're watching us –"

"I know they are, Ginny." He stepped away from her, heavily aware of the eyes upon them. "Which is why we need to talk alone. And if anyone follows us, _I'll _hex them."

He spoke the last part loud enough for the crowd to hear him. They parted for him as he guided Ginny, frowning in incomprehension, to the Hog's Head. Aberforth let them borrow room and Harry put up privacy wards to prevent anyone from intruding on the conversation.

Ginny didn't take it well.

"You're breaking up with me?" Her eyes were red from suppressed tears but her voice trembled with anger. "I'm everything you could ever want. Why the _hell_ do you want to break up?"

"I just don't think we'll work out," Harry said with as much patience as he could manage. "You're a wonderful person, Gin, but we want different things. This is best for both of us." He forced a smile. "You wouldn't want to force something that doesn't exist, right?"

"Doesn't exist," she repeated slowly. "Yeah, that's right. My feelings don't exist _at all_."

Belatedly, he realized he could have phrased that better.

"Ginny –"

"But my feelings never mattered with you, did they?" she continued. "Oh no, it's all about what _Harry _wants, what _Harry _needs. Fuck that. _I'm_ breaking up with _you_. God knows I can do better than someone who cowers from his own shadow."

When she stormed from the room, Harry didn't bother trying to stop her. Instead he crossed to the window and watched her storm out onto the street. She stopped for a moment, wiped at her eyes, and then continued down the lane toward Hogwarts. His heart squeezed tight in his chest, but he knew he'd made the right choice.

* * *

Since he and Ron were training together, it was impossible for Harry to avoid him. As a result, he wasn't very surprised when Ron cornered him a week after he broke up with Ginny. With a sigh, Harry slammed his locker closed and turned to face his friend. Ron's ears were red and he was fairly vibrating with anger.

"Why'd you do it?" Ron demanded.

"You can punch me if you want," Harry offered tiredly.

Ron's hands clenched into fists. "I will if you don't answer me," he snapped.

If Harry didn't calm him down, he really would punch him. Harry wasn't in the mood for a fight so he tried to explain his reasoning as best he could.

Ron still wasn't pleased.

"So she was too _clingy_? Harry, you have women throwing themselves at you at every opportunity. Of course she's going to mark her territory!"

Harry looked at him with surprise.

"I do?"

Ron snorted. "Of course you don't notice it."

"Nonetheless," Harry pushed on, for that was treading onto a topic he wished to avoid, "it still isn't healthy. She even suspected _Luna_, Ron. Her own best friend!"

For the first time, Ron looked away from him and the heat left his eyes. Crossing his arms, he directed his gaze to a point over Harry's shoulder and said, "About that… There's something you should know."

While they were out hunting down the Horcruxes, Ginny returned to Hogwarts where she was immediately targeted by the Carrows. She proudly told everyone she was dating Harry, which made her situation even worse. Luna tried to help her by revealing he'd broken up with Ginny, but no one believed her. Later, she came up with a different idea, which worked much better.

"She said _she _was the one dating you, and you used Ginny to cover up the relationship," Ron explained. "Everyone believed her since you went to the Slug Club party with her. Ginny knew it wasn't true, but then after the battle, she saw Luna comforting you and… I guess she got jealous."

A sudden need to sit down had Harry dropping onto the bench. He placed his head in his hands. Everything was making sense now. After the battle, a full day passed before he saw Ginny again. In that time, he'd spoken to Luna, Ron, and Hermione, but he didn't share a word with the woman he claimed to love.

He lifted his head as another thought occurred to him. At Easter Break, Ginny had gotten home safely, but Luna had been kidnapped from the station. The Quibbler could have easily been shut down without threatening her father. There was a reason she had been kept alive in the Malfoy's dungeon.

"Is that why they targeted Luna?" he asked with horror.

Ron shrugged. "Probably."

He paused, his own eyes widening.

"No, it's extremely likely. They thought they could get your attention by imprisoning your girlfriend…"

He and Harry stared at each other as the implications set in. Then Ron groaned, flopped onto the bench next to Harry, and lowered his head into his hands. Harry was glad to have someone commiserate in his misery, even if Ron didn't suffer from the same amount of guilt.

* * *

After that, he asked Ginny out to Hogsmeade one more time. In his letter, he made it clear this wasn't a date. He just wanted to apologize for never prioritizing her. What he didn't expect was Ginny's reaction. She strode into the Three Broomsticks with her familiar, bold stride, which had him wary even before she spoke.

"I knew you'd change your mind," she stated as she dropped into the seat across from him. He sensed everyone's eyes on them as she tossed her hair and smiled at him. "Don't worry, I've already broken up with Seamus."

"So I've heard," Harry replied slowly. "But I think you should really give it a chance, Gin. He's a good guy."

She blinked. "Well, yeah, I'll still be friends with him," she said a bit carelessly.

"No, I mean…" He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Look, we're not getting back together."

As gently as possible, he explained that he would always love her, but they were better off as friends. She wanted to be a famous Quidditch player, and Harry wanted to stay out of the spotlight as much as possible. Ginny shook her head and insisted she could change her plans. That only saddened him even more.

"I don't want you to," he told her. "You should follow your dreams, Ginny."

Tears glittered in her eyes as she said, "But _you're_ my dream."

He shook his head. "A person can't be your dream, Gin."

As one tear left a track down her cheek, his hand itched to wipe it away. Harry resisted the desire, though. He couldn't lead her on anymore. Instead, he handed her a napkin. She stared at it uncomprehendingly before taking it and dabbing at her eyes. Harry added another layer to the privacy ward so people wouldn't see her crying.

"I love you," she croaked. "I _love _you. Why can't that be enough?"

"I'm sorry." The words felt inadequate even as they left his mouth, but he didn't know what else to say.

After she collected herself, he escorted her back to the castle. Then he wished her the best, nodded to Seamus who was waiting inside the gates, and Apparated away.

* * *

For the next four years, he threw himself into his work. Sometimes he was assigned as a dignitary overseas. One time while he was in Australia, the Minister mentioned a familiar name. Luna Lovegood was a traveling magizoologist doing research in the Outback, and since she was from Britain, Harry might know her. When Harry said she was an old friend, the Minister was delighted to help him see her again.

With the Minister's information, Harry was able to locate the hut where she was staying. He found her dancing beneath the moonlight, a dreamy expression upon her face. Yet when she stopped to look at him, her eyes were clear. He shoved his hands into his pockets and grinned at her.

"Hello, Luna," he said. "How are you?"

"I'm doing better," she replied and then paused, her gaze sweeping over him before she commented, "You look better, too."

"Yeah, I suppose." He cleared his throat. "I'm guessing you heard about me and Ginny."

She hummed in response. "I wasn't very surprised, to be honest."

Harry's brows rose. Everyone else had been devastated by the news. He and Ginny were supposed to be the ideal couple, so their break-up had been a shock to the populace. Even now, when she was about to marry Seamus, people still whispered about them and whether they would get back together.

"You weren't?" Harry couldn't help asking.

Luna shook her head. "Ginny never understood you, did she?"

She said it simply, as if it were a fact everyone knew. Harry felt his lips pull up into a smile.

"No," he agreed softly. "She didn't."

When she held out a hand to him, he gladly accepted her offer, and they began to slowly dance together to a tune only Luna knew. As he felt a strange weight lift from his shoulders, Harry became determined to learn the song, too.


End file.
